Kagome, clad in a pink frilly apron, t-shirt and jeans, hair pulled back in a pony tail, stood at her kitchen counter stirring a bowl, furiously trying with all her might not to simply eat the delicious goop inside. Beside her lay a greased pan and a rubber spatula. Buyo jumped onto the counter and started for the bowl, letting out a curious mew. Kagome's head whipped up and she stopped her stirring to give the fat cat a cold, hard stare that sent him scampering off to find Sota. Kagome returned to stirring
"What's that wench?" Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin and whirled around, spoon raised, whether as a threat or in defense she wasn't sure. Her eyes met with shocked gold ones that soon turned into very annoyed gold ones. The half demon stepped back with a growl.
"What is your problem?" He snapped. Sheepishly Kagome lowered the wooden spoon.
"Sorry Inuyasha, you just caught me off guard is all. What are you doing here? I said that I would be back by sunset I still have two hours!" Kagome demanded getting annoyed.
"Keh, none of your business bitch. What's in the bowl?" Inuyasha unceremoniously pushed Kagome to the side and sidled over to the bowl, ears pricked in interest. Sticking a clawed finger, InuYasha brought out the brown substance from the bowl and sniffed. Vainly Kagome tugged on his red haori trying to keep him from the bowl.
"It's brownies! And you can't have any until they are done; I thought that I would make some for everyone over at the feudal era. Anyways," Kagome added with a smile, "chocolate is bad for dogs." Inuyasha whipped around at the word 'dog' looking terribly peeved. Perhaps livid would have been the better word. He went so quickly that most of the glob of chocolate on his finger was lobbed of and landed on Kagome's cheek
"I am not a dog dammit!" he growled, and then added somewhat childishly, "and if I want to have some of these brown-knees then there is nothing that you can do about it!" To prove his point he stuck his finger in his mouth. Kagome groaned, she wasn't going to have any brownies to bake now.
Inuyasha's face lit up, pulled his finger out of his mouth and stared at it in wonder. Kagome resisted the urge to smack herself how could she have let InuYasha taste the batter? Had she not, just two minutes ago, been using all her will power to not do exactly what Inuyasha had just done? Well if it had taken all of her will power not to eat them, against Inuyasha those brownies didn't stand a chance. Inuyasha smirked as if he could hear her thoughts.
"Hey, those aren't bad, almost as good as ramen!" Inuyasha turned back toward the bowl full of batter. Kagome's mind raced there was only one solution but she hesitated. Inuyasha reached toward the bowl, hand extended, eager and greedy. Kagome had no choice, she had to save the brownies, and she hoped that the floor would forgive her, someday.
"Inuyasha?" InuYasha froze hand out stretched; he looked over his shoulder at Kagome. Kagome paused, hoping that that would be enough to stop him. No such luck. A moment passed and when she didn't say anything, he turned back to the brownies.
"SIT BOY!"
"Shi-" crash, Inuyasha face-planted on the kitchen tiles. Kagome prayed there wasn't a dent; in his face or the floor she wasn't sure. Inuyasha wrenched himself from off the floor with a muttered curse. Kagome kneeled down in front of the sulking hanyou.
"I'm sorry Inuyasha, but I really want to make these brownies, you will be able to have some too but let me finish them first. Please?" Inuyasha glanced into her wide innocent eyes and the imploring look they were giving him and looked away.
"Keh! If the brownies mean that much to you I won't take the stupid batter. As long as I get some when they are done!" Kagome smiled gently.
"I'll get these in the oven and we can wait together for them to finish. Thank you Inuyasha." Impulsively Kagome leaned forward and gave Inuyasha a quick peck on his temple. She drew back hastily with a blush on her cheeks and stood up. Inuyasha stared up at her from the floor a frown of confusion slowly making it's way onto his face. "Why don't you wait in the living room? I am sure that Buyo would like someone to play with!" Kagome said in an almost painfully cheery voice. Inuyasha stared at Kagome wondering if he should be angry, embarrassed or even particularly interested in the kiss. He got up warily and pondered the matter.
Back in the feudal era, his time, a kiss meant a lot and usually only mates, or in the case of humans, betrothed kissed. Or, at least people who were very close and had made romantic intentions clear (there were other types but Inuyasha refused to think of Kagome as one of them). However, Inuyasha knew that Kagome didn't think about him that way, and her time was weird with all sorts of strange traditions he didn't know about. Maybe now in this time a kiss was nothing, it was meaningless. Maybe it was her way of saying 'sorry for sitting you'. Or maybe it was very important between friends or even acquaintances. Inuyasha, even though he would never admit it, greatly appreciated her company, what if she expected him to return the kiss? What if he didn't return it and she blew up at him and refused to come back? Or what if she started crying, that was worse than angry. She was blushing afterward, she seemed embarrassed, a voice in his head reminded him. But did that mean she regretted it or assumed that he would read too much into it? Or even, what if she assumed he would just completely disregard it? Inuyasha felt like banging his head against the wall. Women were so confusing! Especially Kagome! Inuyasha wanted to howl. He sat on the couch with a sullen look on his face and waited for Kagome.
Kagome scraped the last of the batter into the 9x11 pan and popped it into the oven. She was a little nervous that Inuyasha would be upset about the kiss, but what was done was done. 'What if he doesn't even care?' Kagome thought miserably. Well there was nothing left to do know except go join Inuyasha in the sitting room. Kagome straightened her shoulders and walked purposely over and sat on the couch next to Inuyahsa.
"Uh Kagome?"
"Yes Inuyasha?" Kagome answered, slightly nervous.
"…..Never mind"
"Okay"
Chicken, Inuyasha's inner voice told him, 'well what was I supposed to do?' kiss her you dolt. 'Why would I do that?' …. Idiot.
Kagome and InuYasha sat in an awkward silence for a few moments, until Inuyasha said suddenly.
"Kagome, you still have brownie batter on your cheek."
"Oh…" was her only response and before she could wipe it off with her hand Inuyasha swooped down and gently kissed the chocolate off. Kagome froze. Inuyasha pulled back hesitantly. Kagome's heart hammered. Inuyasha looked at Kagome. Kagome looked at Inuyasha. Inuyasha's ear twitched. Kagome blushed. Inuyasha licked the remaining chocolate from his lips. Kagome blushed an even deeper shad of red and glanced away. 'Damn, why is it so much more awkward now then when Kagome kissed me?' Just a minute I need to think about this, the sarcastic voice in his head mused; Inuyasha was really beginning to hate that voice. Oh Yes! You rarely show any affection towards anyone and when you do it is to the barest minimum so that you can manage to get by without appearing to be a complete boor. You scoff at Kagome whenever she tries to be nice and the same goes for anyone else for that matter. Also your kiss was quite noticeably longer, and dare I say it? Sensuous. Suddenly Inuyasha felt very awkward.
"Umm, I gotta uh…go Kagome. I just remembered that, err, Shippo needs my help with his, uh, leaves! And I better make sure that Sango and, and, Miroku are ready for those brownies. They will be done soon, right? So I guess that I will see you on the other side of the well then, ummm, hurry back, those jewel shards won't find themselves you know!" And with that Inuyasha was gone, out the door and heading towards the well full tilt.
Kagome sat at the couch for a while; the brownies wouldn't be done for another half an hour anyways. She wasn't sure if she should laugh at Inuyasha's hasty exit, cry from confusion, swoon from dizziness, or be angry, which was the easiest response. She chose none of these and simply sat waiting for the brownies to finish baking, a slight smile on her face.
